In this episode of The NOCE Dose, we are joined by Amy Thatcher, a speech-language pathologist and neonatal feeding specialist with over fifteen years of experience supporting medically fragile and opioid-exposed infants. Together, we explore what truly family-centered care looks like in the NICU—from dismantling stigma and clinical bias to building trust with birthing parents and extended families. Amy shares why “meeting people where they are” is not enough if judgment remains in the room, and how small, intentional practices—calling babies by name, modeling caregiving, and inviting families into the healing process—can radically improve outcomes for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).
The conversation also dives into the long-term developmental implications of early opioid exposure, including feeding, oral-motor development, communication milestones, and theory of mind. We discuss the impact of the Eat, Sleep, Console model, the importance of early intervention services, and how awe, transparency, and compassionate education can quiet shame and empower caregivers. This episode is a powerful reminder that healing begins not only with clinical tools, but with humanity, trust, and the courage to break silence—one baby, one family, and one conversation at a time.